The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-10-22

leaves, WIN fern tWlBS, WIN her hanu
kerchief, with the border OF her mantle,
as II he were II child, until he blushed
with alternate shame and secret satisfac.
ton.
They spoke but little on their return to
the farm house, for Mistress Thankful
had again become grave. And yet the
sun shone cheerily above them; the land
scape was filled with the joy Of resurrec-
ton and new and awakened life; the breeze
whispered gentle promises Of hope and
the fruition of their hopes in the summer
to come. And these two Jared on until
they reached the porch, with half
pleased, half frightened consciousness
that they were not the same beings who
had left it II half hour before.
Nevertheless at the porch Mistress
Thankful rcgained something of her old
audacity. AS they stood together in the
hail. she handed him back the sash she
had kept with her. AS she did so, she
could not help saying: "Thcrc are some
things worth STOPPING for, Maj Van
Zandt."
But she had not calculated upon the
audacity Of the man; and as she turned to
fly she was caught by his strong arm and
piniOned to his side. She struggled, hon
estly think, and perhaps more fright
ened Mt her own feelings than at his
strength; but il Is TO he recorded that he
kissed her in moment of comparative
yielding, and then, frightened himself, re-
leased her quickly, whereat she fled to her
room, and threw herself painting and
troubled upon her bed For an hour or
two she lay there, with flushed cheeks and
conflicting thoughts. "lIe must never
kiss me again." she said softly to herself,
'unless"-but the interrupting thought
said, 81 shall die ii he kiss me not again;
and never can kiss another" And then
she was reused by footstep upon the
stair, which in that brief time she had
learned TO know and look for, and knock
Mt the door. She opened it to Maj. Van
Zandt, white and so colorlcss as to bring
out once more the faint red line made by
her riding whip two days before, rs if it
had risen again in accusation. The blood
dropped out Of her cheeks as she gazed at
him in silence.
"An escort of Dragons" said Maj
Van Zandt, slowly, and with military
precision, "has just arrived, bringing
with them one Capt. Allan Brewster, Of
the Connecticut contingent, on his way to
Morristown to be tried for mutiny and
treason. A private note from Col Ham
ilton instructs me to allow him to have q
private audience with you II you SO wish
it."
With a woman's swift and too often
hopeless intuition, Thankful knew that
this was not the sole contents of the letter,
and that her relations with Capt. Brew
ster were known 10 the man before her.
But she drew herself up a little proudly,
and, turning her truthful eyes upon the
major, said: 81 do so wish it,"
at shall be done rs you desire, Mistress
Blossom" returned the officer, with cold
politeness, as he turned upon his heel
zone moment, Maj. Van Zandt," said
Thankful, swiftly.
The major turned quickly; but Thank
ful's eyes were gazing thoughtfully for
ward, and scarcely glanced at him. II
would prefer" she said timidly and hest
tatingly, "that this interview should not
take place under the roof where-where
-where-my father lives. Half way
down the meadow there is barn, and be-
fore it n broken part Of the wall, fronting
on a sycamore tree. He will know where
it is Tell him / will see him there in
half an hour"
A smile, which the major had tried to
make careless one, curled his lip satiri
cally as he bowed in reply. ut is the
first time" he said dryly, that / believe
| have been honored with arranging a
tryst for two lovers; but believe me, Mis-
tress Thankful, will do my best. In
half an hour / will turn my prisoner over
to you"
In half an hour the punctual Mistress
Thankful, with hood hiding her pale
face, passed the officer in the hall, on the
way to her rendezvous. An hour later
Caesar came with message that Mistress
Thankful would like to sec him. When
the major entered the sitting room he was
shocked to find her lying pale and motion
less on the sofa; but as the door closed
she rose to her feet and confronted him.
81 do not know" she said slowly,
whether you are aware that the man l
Just now parted from was for a twelve
month past my sweetheart, and that be-
lieved l loved him. and knew / was true
to him. II you have not heard it, tell
you now, for the time will come when you
will hear part of 1t from the lips of others,
and would rather you should take the
whole truth from mine. This man was
false to me. He betrayed two friends Of
mine as spies. I could have forgiven it,
had it been only foolish jealousy; but
it was l have since learned from
his own lips, only that he might
crafty his spite against the commander in
chief by procuring their arrest, and max
ing serious difficulty in the American
camp, by means of which he hoped to
serve his OWE ends. He told me this, be-
lieving that l sympathized with him in
his hatred of the commander In chief and
in his own wrongs and sufferings. l con-
fess to my shame Maj. Van Zandt, that
two days ago did believe him, and that
looked upon you rs mere catch poll or
bailiff of the tyrant. That found out
how was deceived when l saw the COM
mander in chief, you, major, who know
him so well, need not be told. Nor was
it necessary for me to tell this man that
he had deceived me, for / felt that-that
was - not - the--only reason-why
could no longer return-his love"
She paused as the major approached her
earnestly, and waved him back with her
hand "He rcproached me bitterly with
my want of feeling for his misfortunes, J"
she went on again; ''he recalled my past
protestations; he showed me my love
letters; and he told me that if | were still
his true sweetheart ought to help him.
/ told him if he would never call me by